"Philip Borkens, and Abraham van Aardenberg is unique outside of the Netherlands. The Witten-Rawlins Collection of early Italian stringed instruments crafted by Andrea Guarneri, Antonio Stradivari, three generations of the Amati family, and others by far surpasses any in Italy. Included are two 17th-century Cremonese stringed instruments preserved in unaltered condition. Additionally, the NMM preserves one of four Stradivari guitars to be seen in a museum setting, and one of only two Stradivari mandolins known to survive. The sum of these groups of American, Dutch, German, and Italian instruments is to be found nowhere else. The 1994 addition of the"
"Stradivarius A Stradivarius is one of the violins, violas, cellos and other string instruments built by members of the Italian family Stradivari, particularly Antonio Stradivari (Latin: Antonius Stradivarius), during the 17th and 18th centuries. According to their reputation, the quality of their sound has defied attempts to explain or equal it, though this belief is disputed. The fame of Stradivarius instruments is widespread, appearing in numerous works of fiction. Stradivari made his instruments using an inner form, unlike the French copyists, such as Vuillaume, who employed an outer form. It is clear from the number of forms throughout his career"
"Greffuhle Stradivarius The Greffuhle Stradivarius is a violin made by Antonio Stradivari of Cremona, Italy, around the year 1709. It derives its name from a French nobleman who once owned it. The Greffuhle is one of the eleven Stradivarius that are decorated with elaborate inlay motif of flowers, vines, and animals, the designs conceived by Stradivari himself. The purfling is a wide band of inlaid ivory diamonds and circles on an ebony background. The violin's top plate is made of two-piece spruce with even medium-to-fine grain broadening toward the sides. The back is one-piece maple with narrow, nearly horizontal flame"
"Soil Stradivarius The Soil Stradivarius (pronounced ) of 1714 is an antique violin made by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona (1644–1737). A product of Stradivari’s golden period, it is considered one of his finest. One of two Stradivari violins named after Belgian industrialist Amédée Soil, this instrument is characterized by its brilliant red varnish and a two-piece maple back with the flames of the grain joined, descending from the edges toward the center. The provenance of this violin includes the French luthier and collector Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, the Viennese collector Oscar Bondy, who also owned the ""Hellier Stradivarius"" of 1679."
"Molitor Stradivarius The Molitor Stradivarius is an antique violin made by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona in 1697, the very beginning of the maker's celebrated ""Golden"" period. It bears the label ""Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis / Faciebat Anno 1697"" and is branded to the lower rib, ""Curtis Phila."" Thought to have been owned by Napoleon Bonaparte, the violin belonged to 19th-century Parisian socialite and arts patron Juliette Récamier until 1804, when it came into the possession of a general in Napoleon's army, Count Gabriel Jean Joseph Molitor. The violin remained in the family of its namesake until World War I,"
"Hammer Stradivarius The Hammer Stradivarius is an antique violin made by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737) of Cremona. The back measures 36 cm, bearing the label inside: """"Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis/Faciebat Anno 1707"""". Dating from 1707, it was made during Stradivari's 'golden' period. It is named after Christian Hammer a 19th-century Swedish collector who is its first recorded owner. The violin made its way to the United States in 1911 with a violinist and teacher Bernard Sinsheimer. In 1992, it was acquired by a Japanese oil company in an estate sale. ""The Hammer"" was on loan to violinist Kyoko Takezawa, who"
"512 violins. Stradivari's instruments are regarded as amongst the finest bowed stringed instruments ever created, are highly prized, and are still played by professionals today. Only one other maker, Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, commands a similar respect among violinists. However, neither blind listening tests nor acoustic analysis have ever demonstrated that Stradivarius instruments are better than other high-quality instruments or even reliably distinguishable from them. Fashions in music have changed over the centuries, and the supremacy of Stradivari's and Guarneri's instruments is only widely accepted today. In the past, instruments by Nicolò Amati and Jacob Stainer were preferred for their"
"Stradivari had acquired at least a small, yet growing, reputation. In 1682, a Venetian banker ordered a complete set of instruments, which he planned to present to King James II of England. The fate of these instruments is unknown. Cosimo de' Medici bought another five years later. Amati died in 1684, an event followed by a noticeable increase in Stradivari's production. The years 1684 and 1685 also marked an important development in his style – the dimensions he used generally increased, and his instruments were more in the style of Amati's work of the 1640s and 1650s. Stradivari's instruments underwent"
"but just like the Charles IX the date is unconfirmed. One of the most famous and certainly the most pristine is the Messiah Stradivarius (also known as the 'Salabue') made by Antonio Stradivari in 1716 and very little played, perhaps almost never and in an ""as new"" state. It is now located in the Ashmolean Museum of Oxford. Instruments of approximately 300 years of age, especially those made by Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesù, are the most sought after instruments (for both collectors and performers). In addition to the skill and reputation of the maker, an instrument's age can also"
"Jupiter Stradivarius The Jupiter Stradivarius is a violin constructed in 1700 by luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona. It is one of only 700 extant Stradivari instruments in the world today. The ""Jupiter"" was once owned and played by virtuoso violinist Giovanni Battista Viotti. The Jupiter Strad is currently owned and played by Arnold Belnick. He recently displayed and played it at a meeting of the Southern California Violin Makers Association. It is an instrument used as a pattern for violin makers. It has a fine grained front and retains much of its original varnish. Mr. Darnton, instructor of the class,"
"Giovanni Battista Guadagnini Giovanni Battista Guadagnini (often shortened to G. B. Guadagnini; 23 June 1711 – 18 September 1786) was an Italian luthier, regarded as one of the finest craftsmen of string instruments in history. He is widely considered the third greatest maker after Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri ""del Gesù"". The Guadagnini family was known for their violins, guitars and mandolins. Giovanni Battista Guadagnini (Latinized as ) was born while both Stradivari and Guarneri were at the zenith of their production years, roughly 30 km away from the City of Cremona on 23 June 1711 at Bilegno in Val"
"figure; the ribs are of similar maple. The neck is made of modern maple, terminating in the original pegbox and scroll. It was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1997 by Herbert R. Axelrod as part of the Axelrod quartet. National Museum of American History Kevin Lee Luthier Greffuhle Stradivarius The Greffuhle Stradivarius is a violin made by Antonio Stradivari of Cremona, Italy, around the year 1709. It derives its name from a French nobleman who once owned it. The Greffuhle is one of the eleven Stradivarius that are decorated with elaborate inlay motif of flowers, vines, and animals, the"
"Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi (c. 1714 – 1787) was a master luthier who was active in the Italian 18th century during the golden age of stringed instrument making. Landolfi is considered among the half dozen finest stringed instrument makers in history, along with Stradivarius and Guarneri del Gesu and Pietro Guarneri. Instruments created centuries ago by Landolfi and his fellow Italian luthiers have not been improved upon despite modern technology and are still played by the finest violinists and violists in the great concert halls across the world. Landolfi was born in Milan, Italy in 1714 and after"
"who have owned Landolfis include Carl Flesch, the Hungarian violinist and teacher (1873 - 1944) who played both a Landolfi and the Brancaccio Stradivarius. Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh, PA Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi (c. 1714 – 1787) was a master luthier who was active in the Italian 18th century during the golden age of stringed instrument making. Landolfi is considered among the half dozen finest stringed instrument makers in history, along with Stradivarius and Guarneri del Gesu and Pietro Guarneri. Instruments created centuries ago by Landolfi and his fellow Italian luthiers have not been improved upon despite modern technology"
"performed with it for the next twelve years. On 16 May 2006, ""The Hammer"" made news when it was sold at Christie's auction to an anonymous bidder for US$3.54 million, with a pre-auction estimated value of US$1.5 million to 2.5 million. Hammer Stradivarius The Hammer Stradivarius is an antique violin made by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737) of Cremona. The back measures 36 cm, bearing the label inside: """"Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis/Faciebat Anno 1707"""". Dating from 1707, it was made during Stradivari's 'golden' period. It is named after Christian Hammer a 19th-century Swedish collector who is its first recorded owner. The"
"Lipinski Stradivarius The Lipinski Stradivarius is an antique violin constructed in 1715 by the Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona, during Stradivari's ""golden period"" between 1700 and 1720. There are fewer than 650 extant Stradivarius violins in the world today, and the Lipinski is considered to be a particularly fine example. In 2012, it was appraised at $5 million USD. The earlier history of ""The Lipinski"" is unclear; Italian violinist and composer Giuseppe Tartini is the first reputed owner. Tartini, who in 1713 experienced a dream in which he allowed the devil to play his violin, heard a beautiful sonata"
"ichthyologist and publishing entrepreneur later jailed for tax fraud. A. Philips Hill has called this violin ""one of the finest Stradivaris in existence"". It was loaned to the Smithsonian Institution from 1998 until 2003. Today, it has been consigned to the Stradivari Foundation in Cremona as part of its ""Friends of Stradivari"" project and is currently on display at the Museo del Violino in Cremona. Hellier Stradivarius The Hellier Stradivarius of ""circa"" 1679 is a violin made by Antonio Stradivari of Cremona, Italy. It derives its name from the Hellier family, who might well have bought it directly from the"
"violins, which have elaborate decorations and purfling. Assuming that Stradivari was a student of Amati, he would have begun his apprenticeship in 1656–58 and produced his first decent instruments in 1660, at the age of 16. His first labels were printed from 1660 to 1665, which indicates that his work had sufficient quality to be offered directly to his patrons. However, he probably stayed in Amati's workshop until about 1684, using his master's reputation as a launching point for his career. Stradivari married his first wife, Francesca Ferraboschi, on 4 July 1667. Francesca was the young widow of the burgher"
"in Florence around 1725, and soon replaced the harpsichord as a solo and ensemble keyboard instrument. The family of stringed instruments, consisting of the violin, viola, cello and contrabass evolved in Italy in the mid 16th century. Antonio Stradivari, Andrea Guarneri, Nicolo Amati and other master instrument makers crafted stringed instruments that were highly prized, widely imitated, but never equaled. The education of upper-class young man was expected to be completed by a ""grand tour"" of Italy to be exposed to the visible legacies of its classical culture, as well as to its contemporary culture of music, literature, art and"
"Igino Sderci Igino (Iginius) Sderci (1884 - 1983) was born in Florence, Italy. He devoted his entire career to violin making, studying under master maker Leandro Bisiach. A very prolific maker making more than 700 instruments including many large violas. He won gold medals at the prestigious Stradivarius Exhibition at Cremona in 1937 marking the bicentanary of Stradivari's death (as well as prizes in 1949). From his earliest childhood Igino Sderci was interested in music & art. He studied sculpture in Siena and had a gift for wood carving. He made his first violin without supervision. In Siena Sderci was"
"the ""Markevitch"" (1709) celli. The Musée de la musique in Paris displays several beautiful Stradivari instruments that formerly belonged to the Paris Conservatory. The collection of The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra had the largest number of Stradivari in its string section, purchased in 2003 from the collection of Herbert R. Axelrod, until it recently decided to sell them off. A collection assembled by Rodman Wanamaker in the 1920s contained as many as 65 stringed instruments by such masters as Stradivari, Gofriller, Baptiste and Giuseppe Guarneri. Included was ""The Swan"", the last violin made by Stradivari, and soloist instrument of the"
"Hellier Stradivarius The Hellier Stradivarius of ""circa"" 1679 is a violin made by Antonio Stradivari of Cremona, Italy. It derives its name from the Hellier family, who might well have bought it directly from the luthier himself. The ""Hellier Stradivarius"" has had a convoluted ownership history. It seems to have been in the possession of the Hellier family from the beginning of the 18th century. Samuel Hellier, High Sheriff of Staffordshire 1745, probably brought the violin to England. However, two Cremona violins are first mentioned in the will of his Uncle in 1719 and all formed part of a longstanding"
"Booth Stradivarius The Otto Booth; Cho-Ming Sin Stradivarius of 1716 is an antique violin fabricated by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737) of Cremona. The original label of the instrument was """"Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis faciebat Anno 1716"""". The ""Booth Stradivarius"" has a two-piece back and has a body length of 35.4 cm. The ""Booth"" receives its name after a former owner, Madame Wilhelm von Booth who purchased the instrument in 1855 for her son Otto van Booth to be played in a Stradivari quartet. Otto van Booth sold the instrument in 1889 to George Hart, an instrument dealer in London, and"
"time. It is then that the so-called 'fever' for Stradivaris took off. Cozio, Tarisio and Vuillaume were the fathers of this frenzy that would extend well into the 21st century. Also, soon after Stradivari's death, most of the other major Cremonese luthiers would die, putting an end to the golden period of Cremona's violin making, which lasted more than 150 years, starting with the Amatis and ending with the Cerutis. The Cremonese maker, Vincenzo Rugeri (1663-1719), while staying true to the Grand Amati Pattern by Nicolo Amati, was influenced by Stradivari in that he adopted a somewhat lower arch consistent"
"c. 1882; Richard Bennett 1913; J.E. Greiner, 1928; J. Frank Otwell, 1944; Raymond Cerf, 1954; Rony Rogoff, 1980; David L. Fulton, 1992. Baron Knoop, ex-Bevan Stradivarius The Baron Knoop, ex-Bevan Stradivarius is a violin made by the celebrated luthier Antonio Stradivari in Cremona, Italy in 1715. The instrument is named for Baron Johann Knoop (1846–1918), a collector of dozens of great violins, violas, and cellos at one time or another including four violas representing more than a third of extant Stradivari violas. Upon the sale of the instrument to J.E. Greiner through the agency of Wurlitzer in New York, the"
"Baron Knoop, ex-Bevan Stradivarius The Baron Knoop, ex-Bevan Stradivarius is a violin made by the celebrated luthier Antonio Stradivari in Cremona, Italy in 1715. The instrument is named for Baron Johann Knoop (1846–1918), a collector of dozens of great violins, violas, and cellos at one time or another including four violas representing more than a third of extant Stradivari violas. Upon the sale of the instrument to J.E. Greiner through the agency of Wurlitzer in New York, the W. E. Hill firm in London, proposed that the violin be named for their customer, Baron Knoop. Several instruments by the great"
"said the neck has been replaced 5 times and the radii of the neck are smaller than one might expect on a neck, The join to the original scroll is almost indetectable. The top of the scroll appears narrower than that of the Gibson Strad but the difference in measurement is probably negligible. The back of the scroll is worn away from friction with the case during transportation, proving that this has been a working violin for its 310 years of life. Jupiter Stradivarius The Jupiter Stradivarius is a violin constructed in 1700 by luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona. It"
"Kiesewetter Stradivarius The Kiesewetter Stradivarius of ""circa"" 1723 is an antique violin fabricated by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona (1644–1737). The instrument derives its name from its previous owner, German composer and violinist Christophe Gottfried Kiesewetter (1777–1827). In 2006, the Stradivari Society brokered an agreement between Clement and Karen Arrison, current owners of the ""Kiesewetter"", and a Grammy-nominated Russian violinist, Philippe Quint. Stipulated in the contract, Quint was to retain possession of the violin for one year in exchange for its US$6,000 insurance premium, the performance of three private recitals for the Arrisons, and regular inspections by The Society's"
"this superior instrument all it has to give."" The Batta-Piatigorsky Stradivarius is generally regarded as being among Stradivari's finest cellos, along with the Duport Stradivarius, the Davidov Stradivarius and the Servais Stradivarius. It is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Batta-Piatigorsky Stradivarius The Batta-Piatigorsky Stradivarius is a cello made in Cremona, Italy in 1714 by Antonio Stradivari. The Batta-Piatigorsky was acquired by the Dutch cellist, Alexandre Batta, in 1836. It had also been played by the prominent French virtuoso cellist, Adrien-François Servais. In 1893, Batta sold the cello to W.E. Hill & Sons in"
"Solomon, ex-Lambert Stradivarius The Solomon, Ex-Lambert Stradivarius of 1729 is a violin fabricated by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona (1644–1737). The instrument derives its name from previous owners Seymour Solomon, co-founder of Vanguard Records, and British violinist, Dorothy Mary Murray Lambert The ""Solomon, ex-Lambert"" comes from Stradivari's mature period and, retains the bold outline, superb arching and quality materials which account for the power, sonority and tonal balance his work is recognized for. The first recorded owner of the ""Solomon, Ex-Lambert Stradivarius"" was Berlin dealer and expert who sold it to ‘Miss Price’, a student of the violin studying"
"Guarneri The Guarneri (often referred to in the Latinized form ""Guarnerius"") is the family name of a group of distinguished luthiers from Cremona in Italy in the 17th and 18th centuries, whose standing is considered comparable to those of the Amati and Stradivari families. Some of the world's most famous violinists, such as Niccolò Paganini, Jascha Heifetz, Yehudi Menuhin have preferred Guarneris to Stradivaris. The average Stradivari is stronger in the 200 Hz and 250 Hz bands and above 1.6 kHz. Guarneri violins are also known by the extension of Giuseppe Guarneri's name, Del Gesù. Del Gesùs are on average"
"Bonjour Stradivarius The Bonjour Stradivari cello was made by famous luthier Antonio Stradivari 1692. The instrument is named after the amateur 19th-century Parisian cellist Abel Bonjour. On the death of Bonjour sometime after 1885 the cello passed via Fridolin Hamma of Stuttgart to Dr. Hans Kühne of Cologne, who loaned the cello to the Stradivari Bicentennial exhibition in Cremona in 1937. Other owners include The Habisreutinger Foundation of St. Gallen, Switzerland, soloist Robert Cohen (who played it between 1984 and 1993) and Martin Lovett of the Amadeus Quartet. The present owner acquired it in the fall of 1999 and it"
"it the most expensive instrument in the world. Jascha Heifetz owned a c. 1740 Guarneri del Gesù from the 1920s until his death in 1987. It was his favorite instrument, even though he owned several Stradivaris. ""(From the Cozio Archive)"" Giuseppe Guarneri Bartolomeo Giuseppe Antonio Guarneri, ""del Gesù"" (; 21 August 1698 – 17 October 1744) was an Italian luthier from the Guarneri family of Cremona. He rivals Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737) with regard to the respect and reverence accorded his instruments, and for many prominent players and collectors his instruments are the most coveted of all. Instruments made by Guarneri"